₦airaland Forum

donjazet:
Nateevs, I want you to just calm down and review the last two words in the above statement. You just called us an inferior opponent to spurs!!!! Fuuckiing spurs!!!
Apart from our wingbacks, who else is better individually from ours to theirs?
I believe that's a blunder from you.
TOTTENHAM ARE NOT BETTER THAN CHELSEA!!

Our players simply did not turn up, on a good day, we should be reading a post match report of how hazard mesmerized the defence with his magical foot, of how the beast in Costa bullied the defenders to score his 3rd Hatrick in a Chelsea shirt, of how a rejuvenated Pedro ran down the defence running into pockets of spaces and created the assist to hazard for the 5th goal of the team. how kante worked tirelessly winning all second balls, not allowing the home team time on the ball and sniffing out all attacks before they began etc.....

Instead we are pointing out the individual errors of our players. The fact that many pundits are analysing the errors of our players and not praising the ingenuity of the home team should tell you that yesterdays scoreline was as a result of our lackadaisical players not their ingenuity.
Peace bro

You have to read my post in the context. I did not call Chelsea an inferior side to Spurs. I made an illustration of how we play, compared with the opposition; not Spurs in comparison with us.

What I did say was that their wing backs are better than ours. This is just fact. Walker and Rose are better than Moses and Alonso.



To the body of yours posts, I repeat. Spurs are now the best defensive side in the league. I say that again, Spurs are the best defensive side in league.

Before the game, they were second best behind Chelsea. And there is a reason for this mate. So NO sir, Costa was never going to get a hattrick. That is your fantasy. And Hazard was never going to get the 5th goal against Spurs. The is all a story in your mind. You are not going to get 3 goals against the second best defensive side coming off a good run, when we had just shown the world a few days ago, how to score against us.

This is nothing to do with your pride. It's just a fact. You are arguing in isolation of the truth. If only you could consider the opposition in your analysis, you will realise that your thoughts lack perspective!

donjazet:
Nateevs, did you see how we began the 2nd half? The urgency in our game, the intensity in our play, the movement from the players, how we forced errors from them and came close to scoring. We got it right for those 5mins. It's a known fact that we are very dangerous, efficient and clinical on the attack, so why didn't we start like that? That 5 mins spell was our best throughout the game.
With the right mentality, we could have started the game that way. Us going there to defend and hope to catch them on the break wasn't right and that's why mourinho continues to be castigated by many.
You're sounding like you lowered your expectations from the team. I didn't. We could have easily started the game the way we started the 2nd half but i think the players weren't mentally in the right place. As some have earlier pointed out, the pressure of the winning run must have got to the players.

You are saying in isolation of the fact that they also recognise that they were on top and the onus will be on us to attack. So they stayed back and contained us for a while. Don't analyse a game from only your team's perspective.

Just like they opened us up, we did as well and had we got that goal from Hazard early on in the second half, we may have witnessed a spell of 15 mins with both teams not knowing how to approach. Attack or Contain? And both teams being poor. This is why I told you momentum will swing from side to side throughout the 90mins when two nearly even teams square up.

Overall, they were better than us.. As highlighted by Lalaboi, their wingbacks are better than ours. And this is where the game was won and lost. Walker terrorised Alonso which continually allowed Erikssen to drop into those pockets of spaces and ping those beautiful crosses. Also, Walker and Rose (being natural defenders) would not have made the mistake Moses made for the first goal.

Their wingbacks are better than ours. Defensively aware and vert threatening offensively. And on the night, they were better. This is what you don't accept. Hence your false expectation. It's nothing to do with how we started.


To put it in a better way, it's same way Alonso creates problems for other teams, which then allows Hazard to run at defenders and cause issues. It's not about how the inferior opposition started, it's just what it was. Inferior opposition!

donjazet:
I expected us to start as we did against Man United or everton, to seize the game by the scruff of the neck. We should have known that Tottenham are a high pressing team with very high intensity, we should have matched that or calmed the game down. In as much as I commend Tottenham for their perfect display, our team has to be called out for their lack of effort yesterday. We can't point to any of our players yesterday and say this guy tried, others didn't match up. We knew we were playing a big side but didn't show the effect of adequate preparation whatsoever and that's why I was hyperventilating yesterday. Our disparaging performance was apparent and Tottenham duly capitalized. I only hope we bounce back graciously. It's Leicester City next.

And therein lies the misplaced expectation. We beat those two teams 4-0 and 5-0 respectively. Neither of them matched us for formation, neither of them is the second best defensive side in the league, neither of them was coming to play us on the back of scoring 8 goals yet somehow, you expected the same response.

Don't be deceived. Yes we played well against those two teams but it wasn't all about our brilliance. It was a combination of our new set up and United's and Everton's poor set-up/ form.

I wonder why you had such high expectations. In the first leg, Spurs had a better first half and scored first. But you didn't expect that in the return leg when many pundits were predicting that Spurs will end our run. Despite us blazing through 13 games and conceding only 4 goals in that time.

You need to re-evaluate your expectation and come to terms with the result. The only thing I see you saying here is that you expected Spurs to be as poor as United and Everton were against us. Not that we were not good.

I am not sure we said we were playing as expected. What we said was that we were good and solid. We were playing against a good side - a good side that could easily be second on the table. They were coming into the game on the back of two impressive wins, so it was expected that our boys may not be guns blazing as we would against Burnley.

The problem here is you are yet to realize how good this Spurs side are and went into the game thinking we could walk over them.

This was why I asked persistently, what did you expect?

Griffon:
My take on Alonso's performance against City:



That left-side is our weakest link. If I am an opposition manager, I'll be flogging Chelsea on regular basis.

It's not that easy. Let's not kid ourselves in thinking there are no adverse effects to the substitution of Alonso.

Bringing Kennedy in means we reduce drastically the overall height of the team and weaken our potential to defend set pieces.

Yes we lost a game and there have been signs of cracks. However, overall, we are on the front foot and we need to be careful about the choices we propose, else we just substitute one problem for another. In the end, it's about the balance of averages.

We are still a formidable side offensively and defensively. While many teams might be able to exploit that weakness, only one team so far has been able to do so whilst negating the effectiveness of Hazard, Diego and Pedro simultaneously. It's not easy to do that.

The next team that attempts that might find themselves on the wrong side of an embarrassing loss.

I urge us to concentrate on our strengths rather than compel the team to be concerned about its weakness.

Even the great Barcelona side had a weakness.

Nihilist:
Nice observation doc, but you are looking at the end point. My main concern has been the origin of the chance in the first place. Afterall, if you don't concede the chance, you don't concede the goal right?

See below a chart of defensive stats for the last 13 weeks. You will notice that we are conceding more chances and crosses from the left. I'm not looking at Moses and asking why he didn't step up to nod the ball. No, I'm asking why both goals were conceded from crosess on Alonso's wing.

I'm asking why Diouf was able to cross for a Crouch tap in from that left wing last year. I'm asking why Man City very clearly targeted that left flank, and how Adama Traore was able to complete a league high of 12 successful take ons on that wing last season.

See an analysis of the second goal from F365 below


http://www.football365.com/news/tottenham-2-0-chelsea-16-conclusions


The bolded is actually what scares me. We still have to play Liverpool, City, you guys and the gooners before the season is up. Is this going to be a trend for the future?

I still think he's the best we have. I think he's done reasonably well so far; being a huge part of the unbeaten run. And he's not been a passenger.

That said, I cannot argue with the stats. I am sure Conte has identified for a while that we have a weakness along the left defensive channel and very aware of the stats. That will be why he's brought in they likes of Kennedy. I think he's just followed the fundamental principle of sports psychology - not tinkering with a winning side.

What I fear though is the doubt created by the substitution. Many questions. Alonso is in no doubt why he was substituted. How will he perform in the next game?

What to do next? Plug the hole? Bring in Kennedy who hasn't played all season with the side and risk disruption of the established synergy? Or leave Alonso and risk other teams borrowing from the same template?


If you ask me, I say Liverpool don't have players that can benefit from the exploitation of the weakness. So I am not worried. City, Arsenal, a resurgent United and Everton do.

However, I don't believe that those teams have the defensive resilience that Spurs possess and it will be difficult for them to stop us from scoring as we exploit their own weaknesses. So, for the reason of preserving synergy, I will keep Alonso in the team and hope we can stumble across the finish line, by running over the small teams and hoping we get into a scoring contest with the big teams.

The only problem is if Alonso's confidence takes a hit and he becomes utter dross in the next game.

raumdeuter:
I guess your head correct today

Look at the box for the first goal
Moses was watching Rose, How come Azpi was marking Alli and another Spurs player, where was Luiz in that play

first goal was on Luiz, 2nd IMO was on Azpi and those who failed to close Eriksen down early

That's the tactical set up and nothing to do with Luiz.

Considering that Dele was playing on the left side of their attack, I don't expect our middle CB to be marking Dele. There would have been severe structural defensive consequences had we gone into the game like that.

Moses steps out with entire back line, and the first goal doesn't go in.

It was a pre-planned tactic. It happened many times in the game. Their manager knew our weaknesses, one of them being Azpi and Moses being unable to mark Dele in the air.

Ibime:
5 points clear with only Liverpool and Manure away left.

Have a party on us!

You seem the next 5 fixtures? Can we start another 15pt roll?

Roland17:
How do you step up to cover Alonso and lose sight of your responsibility? Cahil was too high, Matic bite too deep into Walker who already gave up the ball, the back line were horrendous at keeping Dele offside.

P.S: I am not saying Alonso is not without blame, however, the other culprits are just as responsible.

Two things actually.

1. Watch the defense line and you see Moses not stepping inside with the defensive line to keep Dele offside. If Moses was alert, there's no goal. There's no use just blaming Alonso.

2. It's a tactic to pick out Dele, because Spurs know that Dele can out-jump Pili and Moses. Unfortunately, we didn't see that coming. We planned to cancel Kane from the game.

It's football. These things happen. We still lead the league and we don't play them again.

donjazet:
What formation are we playing now?

Still same formation. Pedro now playing Wing back

Chelseafan1:
LOL, now that we've conceeded a second goal after 'playing better', what else is your excuse?


We told you this is a Derby, it ain't about playing better or worse.

Don't mind Donjazi. I don't know what he expects. To go gung-ho from the whistle?

donjazet:
Mate! We've been losing all second balls, we've been giving away poor passes all games, mostly attempting long balls not reaching their intended targets, our midfield is not fully functioning. How can you say we're playing alright?

Tell me what you expect.

donjazet:
And some were telling me we were playing alright

What do you mean? You can't concede a goal while playing alright?

Tell us what you expect.

donjazet:
You have to agree that we have been the second best all through. We are not matching their intensity, they are forcing errors from us.

Mate, this a top team we are playing. And we are playing away. We expect them to be on the front foot and carve us open.

This is a big game. And we are doing well.

We just need to stay compact. Momentum will swing from side to side throughout the 90. It's fully expected.

We are doing well.

Here we go

diggz:
Terry is definitely out. I don't know who brana is. Aspa zouma and Christensen, let's hope they get their chance to feature under Conte. I kind of feel we are trying to get someone who can readily take over Cahills position.

Meanwhile,which areas would you rather have us look into and why ?

Haha! Nice one.

Sunderland!

Oshe Sunderland

Mane haf do bad tin

Pep down to 9 men. Fernadinho strikes again. I hope he doesn't resign at this rate.


Meanwhile, Tammy scores again! 3 in a row after the drought. 12 for the season. Batshuayi got serious competition.

Witsel. Money above everything.

Happy New Year to everyone. Hope the new year brings us many good times.
Happy belated Birthday to our esteemed member Nihilist.

Smashing performance today. Costa, Hazard, Willian, all brilliant.

15 from 15 pts done. Equalled most-wins record in one season. I have never witnessed such a fluid Chelsea from back to front.

What a win to end the year. On the day we concede 2 goals since Arsenal, it was set up to be a day of surprise. Instead, we go and score 4. Roll on the new year.


Matic against Spurs at WHL please.

bigkesh:
I mean, even Muslims with deep Christian relations scream 'Jesus Christ' during sex....

Now there's a revelation.

Is it a club record for the least amount of goals conceded over a number of games?

12 down, 3 to to go. No Costa, no problem. No Kante, no problem.

To be honest, that line up I believe is a formidable side against over half the league.

This is a serious set-up and team.

MOTM Pedro

Hehehe. See Pedro

Nihilist:
That Pedro's trapping was bad as fvck

Bad ass trapping

Omo. We are on fire

£70m for Rodriguez? Because of what? 4 things I will do with that money before I think of spending on Rodriguez.

1. Tempt Arsenal with £60m for Sanchez.
2. Tempt PSG with £60m for Verratii
3. Keep Pedro.
4. Promote Musonda